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Law Enforcement

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As one arm of the criminal justice system, law enforcement is responsible for maintaining social and public order. RAND research is relevant to many issues affecting law enforcement agencies in the United States, with a focus on public safety, quality policing and community policing, and the recruitment and retention of quality officers.

Q&A
Reducing Police Violence: Q&A with Melissa Labriola
A succession of high-profile police killings has prompted some departments and communities to seek change. But data is sparse, and research is thin. Melissa Labriola helped lead a study of police violence and developed a road map for future research that could move the field forward.
Sep 1, 2022
Commentary
What Support Do Officers Need to Perform at Their Peak?
Police1's second annual survey on “What Cops Want” shows both major strengths and substantial challenges in the profession. Law enforcement leadership can use the findings to better support and engage their officers.
Jun 14, 2022

Explore Law Enforcement

Commentary
How Better Support Can Be Provided to Ex–Service Personnel in the Criminal Justice System
Former armed forces personnel make up the UK's largest group of male prisoners by occupation. What can police and government do to provide targeted support in the criminal justice system to those from a military background?
Nov 30, 2020
Journal Article
How to Take a Systems Approach to Effect Change in Policing: A Recent Presentation to the LA Police Commission Addressed How to Evolve the Police Academies of Today to Deliver the Officers of Tomorrow
This presentation advocates a systems approach to change, and significant changes to LAPD's recruit academy to enhance critical applied skills.
Nov 17, 2020
Report
Law Enforcement Could Benefit from Wearable Sensor Technology
Wearable sensor technology devices are not yet developed for law enforcement purposes, but they have potential to equip agencies with data to improve officer safety, health, and well-being. Now is the time for law enforcement to participate in the development process.
Nov 2, 2020
Journal Article
Police Officers, Stigma, and the Opioid Epidemic
The goal of this exploratory project is to help fill gaps in the literature by empirically measuring levels of explicit provider-based stigma toward persons who use opioids.
Oct 28, 2020
Multimedia
RAND Remote Series: Advancing Racial Equity Policy
In this video conversation, RAND's Anita Chandra and Benjamin Preston discuss RAND's efforts to address the challenges of racial equity from a variety of angles—and options for converting research into action.
Oct 6, 2020
Blog
The Evidence on Kids and COVID-19, China's Use of Big Data, Telemedicine: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on what we know (and what we don't) about kids and COVID-19, how China is using big data, the future of telemedicine, and more.
Sep 4, 2020
Project
Crime and Justice Research at RAND Europe
Using evidence-based analysis to help inform policymaking both in the UK and internationally, RAND Europe offers insights into a variety of issues from the size of illicit markets to how to tackle serious organised crime and reoffending.
Sep 2, 2020
Blog
Voting in a Pandemic, the U.S. Postal Service, Defunding the Police: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Americans' views about voting in the age of COVID-19, what makes the U.S. Postal Service so essential, why some in law enforcement may be open to “defunding the police,” and more.
Aug 28, 2020
Content
RAND Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy
RAND's Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy supports a portfolio of innovative, high-impact racial equity research and analysis, creates a clearinghouse to help coordinate related efforts, and collaborates with organizations dedicated to advancing racial equity.
Aug 25, 2020
Report
The Law Enforcement Response to Homelessness
Despite lacking the tools and resources to address the underlying causes of homelessness, police are constantly under pressure from business leaders and communities to “fix” it. Some law enforcement agencies are trying new approaches, but they need support to improve these efforts.
Aug 25, 2020
Commentary
Police Officers: This Article Will Make You Better at Combatting Misinformation
By deliberately addressing misinformation, police officers can promote safe and healthy behaviors among those in their communities. The actions they take to combat misinformation and improve protections in their communities are a critical part of the collective campaign to end the pandemic and help people return to their normal lives.
Aug 24, 2020
Commentary
Would Law Enforcement Leaders Support Defunding the Police?
Police have expressed frustration with being expected to handle complex social problems such as homelessness and substance use. Budgeting less money for police and more for other public safety strategies might appeal to law enforcement if these efforts relieve some of the unrealistic expectations on them.
Aug 20, 2020
Multimedia
Homicide Process Mapping: A Guide for Solving More Crimes
Senior operations researcher John Hollywood describes the guidebook, Homicide Process Mapping, which lays out proven strategies for solving crimes.
Aug 17, 2020
Report
Autonomous Road Vehicles and Law Enforcement
Autonomous vehicles promise many benefits, but questions remain about how law enforcement officers will interact with them. What will be the biggest challenges—and how can law enforcement prepare to address them?
Jul 16, 2020
Journal Article
Research in Brief: Comprehensive Suicide Prevention in Law Enforcement
Any institution-from workplaces to schools to correctional settings to law enforcement agencies-seeking to prevent suicide must take a comprehensive approach. Science suggests that there are five components that define what such an approach looks like.
Jul 14, 2020
Commentary
How to Reform Military Gear Transfers to Police
Police officers equipped like soldiers have appeared on the streets of American cities amid recent protests over George Floyd's killing. How should lawmakers reform a program that makes use of excess equipment and is popular with police departments, but that also raises substantial concerns about the militarization of policing?
Jul 13, 2020
Periodical
RAND Review: July-August 2020
Feature stories explore what research says about learning loss after extended school breaks; how stress and trauma affect individual and community health; and how a critical care surge response tool is helping hospitals during the pandemic.
Jul 13, 2020
Commentary
How to Transform Policing
The killing of George Floyd and other abuses of power have brought about growing calls to alter how we conduct public safety and, more broadly, criminal justice in America. Evidence shows there is substantial room for improvement.
Jul 9, 2020
Blog
Preparing for a COVID Surge, Reducing Police Violence, Media Literacy in Schools: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on helping hospitals prepare for a surge in COVID-19 infections, an approach to reducing police violence, teachers' concerns about students' media literacy, and more.
Jul 2, 2020
Commentary
From Warrior to Guardian: A Systems Approach to Reduce Police Violence
Personal accountability will always have a role in policing. But the kind of cultural change that is necessary to prevent tragedy is often best tackled by focusing on the system rather than merely blaming the individual officer.
Jul 1, 2020

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RAND Topic:
Law Enforcement

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Richard H. Donohue

Policy Researcher

Richard (Dic) Donohue is a policy researcher at RAND’s Boston office. His primary areas of research focus on homeland security and law enforcement issues, including training, police-community relations, and recruitment/retention. Donohue has led Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center…
Douglas C. Ligor

Acting Director, Management, Technology, and Capabilities Program, RAND Homeland Security Research Division

Doug Ligor is acting director of the Management, Technology, and Capabilities (MTC) Program within the Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), a senior behavioral scientist, and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research areas include: homeland and national security law,…

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